Link edges Downes, O’Hair by 1 stroke

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BANGOR – “That was the longest [putt] of my life,” said William Link IV of Acton, Mass., of his 8-inch tap-in on the last hole Saturday that secured his victory in the 37th Greater Bangor Open golf tournament.

Link’s even-par 69 at Bangor Municipal Golf Course gave him a three-day total of 5-under-par 202, one better than runners-up Billy Downes of Enfield, Conn., and Sean O’Hair of Aston, Pa.

Downes, who shared the second-round lead with Link, posted a 70 Saturday, while O’Hair came in well ahead of the lead groups with a 66 that put him in the hunt for the $10,000 first prize from the $50,000 purse.

Kyle Gallo of Kensington, Conn., also shot a 70 to finish fourth at 204. Tied for fifth were low Maine pro John Hickson of Westbrook, Shannon Sykora of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Joey Chuasiriporn of Timonium, Md. Hickson shot a 68, Sykora and Chuasiriporn 70s.

Mike Norris of Newburgh shot 66 and was low amateur at even-par 207.

Taking a look at the trophy of Paul Bunyan that each GBO winner receives, Link noted a distinctive feature.

“This one here has an ax, which I could use sometimes,” said the 25-year-old Link, who picked up his first win as a pro.

“The last eight holes, it was a safari,” he said.

The safari began earlier for Gallo, who had started a stroke behind Link and Downes, but took a one-stroke lead with birdies on 11 and 13 (Saturday’s play started on No. 10).

Gallo’s tee shot on 14, though, found the trees on the right side and he ended up making double-bogey 6.

Link, meanwhile, sank a 10-foot putt for birdie there, and the three-stroke swing gave Link a two-stroke lead.

He pushed it to four with birdies on 15 and 16, but double-bogeys on 2 and 3 dropped him back into a tie with Gallo.

Gallo retook the lead with a birdie on the only par-5, No. 4, while Link parred it. Downes also birdied it to tie Link.

Gallo’s tee shot on 5 just found the hay on the right, and he took a drop out rather than taking a chance with the lie.

“I was in there the first day and it’s kind of ugly,” said Link.

Gallo made bogey and Link sank an 8-foot birdie putt to go back in front for good.

After padding his lead by dropping a 6-foot birdie putt on 7, it was Link’s turn to battle the high grass, hitting his drive in the hayfield between the eighth and ninth holes.

“As soon as I hit it, I knew it was in there,” said Link, who, like Downes and Gallo, tried to hit a hook shot off the tee and let the wind bring the ball back into the fairway.

Instead, he was in the high grass with a little tree to his right and a big tree in front.

He punched out and made bogey, but his lead was cut in half.

Link had to hit his approach shot on 9 first, but he liked that.

“I knew if I hit it in close, that would put the pressure on Billy,” said Link.

Link’s approach ran about 8 feet above the cup, and Downes also found the putting surface, but about 12 feet below the hole.

“Having Billy putt first was an advantage,” said Link. “I would not have been surprised if that went in because he hadn’t made one all day.”

Downes missed, and Link just needed to two-putt for the win. His first one ran 8 inches past, then he had to wait for Gallo to finish his par before sinking the winner.

“I didn’t putt well all week,” said Downes, the 2000 GBO champ. “You can get too defensive out here, and I kept leaving them short.”

After turning at 1 under par, O’Hair birdied 1 and 2 to narrow the gap, but could get no closer.

Link made a decision earlier in the week to skip the New Hampshire Open, which was held Monday and Tuesday.

Coming off a New England Pro Tour event, Link thought it woiuld be too much to play New Hampshire, the GBO, the Rhode Island Open today and Tuesday followed by another NEPT event at the end of the week. He chose to skip New Hampshire and play Bangor.

“This was a three-day event with a pro-am. Scheduling-wise, it was an easy pick,” said Link, who also won the pro-am.

And next year?

He plans on being back in Bangor, no matter where he’s playing.

“You’ve gotta come back to defend your first pro win,” he said with a $10,000 smile.